Which of the following growth curves shows a population that is at its carrying capacity?
A. B
B. C
C. A
D. D
A population is said to be at its carrying capacity when it has reached the maximum number of individuals that can be sustained in a particular environment over a prolonged period of time, given the available resources and the prevailing environmental conditions.
In other words, carrying capacity refers to the maximum population size that a given ecosystem can support without being depleted of resources or experiencing environmental degradation. Once a population reaches its carrying capacity, its growth rate slows down and stabilizes, as individuals start to compete more intensely for resources such as food, water, and shelter, and mortality rates increase.
Carrying capacity is an important concept in ecology and population biology because it helps to explain the dynamics of natural populations and how they are influenced by changes in the environment, such as climate change, habitat loss, and human activities.
Therefore, the Correct Answer is A.
More Questions on TEAS 7 Science
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Q #1: Which of the following is a function of bone?
A. Storage of minerals
B. Detoxification of alcohol
C. Secretion of hormones
D. Production of otoliths
Answer Explanation
The correct answer is a. Storage of minerals. Bones serve as a storage site for minerals such as calcium and phosphorus. These minerals are essential for various bodily functions and can be released from the bones into the bloodstream when needed.
b. Detoxification of alcohol is not a function of bone. This process occurs primarily in the liver.
c. Secretion of hormones is not a function of bone. Hormones are produced and secreted by glands such as the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, and adrenal glands.
d. Production of otoliths is not a function of bone. Otoliths are small calcium carbonate structures found in the inner ear of fish and other vertebrates that help with balance and hearing.
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Q #2: Which of the following is an efferent neuron that is responsible for releasing a neurotransmiter that stimulates a muscle cell to contract?
A. Motor neuron
B. Interneuron
C. Sensory neuron
D. Neuroglia
Answer Explanation
An efferent neuron that is responsible for releasing a neurotransmitter that stimulates a muscle cell to contract is a motor neuron ². Motor neurons carry signals from the brain to the peripheral nervous system in order to initiate an action. The neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) is released by motor neurons at the neuromuscular junction in skeletal muscle, causing the muscle to contract ³.
The other options are incorrect because they do not accurately describe the type of neuron responsible for releasing a neurotransmitter that stimulates a muscle cell to contract. Interneurons are found within the central nervous system and facilitate communication between sensory and motor neurons. Sensory neurons carry information from sensory receptors to the central nervous system. Neuroglia are support cells for neurons and do not transmit nerve impulses.
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Q #3: The mitochondrial inner membrane carries out the same function in cellular respiration as the ________ membrane of chloroplasts in photosynthesis. Which of the following correctly completes the sentence above?
A. Thylakoid
B. Epithelial
C. Nuclear
D. Tonoplast
Answer Explanation
The thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts is where the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis take place, while the mitochondrial inner membrane is where the electron transport chain and ATP synthesis occur during cellular respiration.
The tonoplast is the membrane that surrounds the central vacuole in plant cells. It is not involved in cellular respiration or photosynthesis.
The other options, epithelial and nuclear, are not related to these processes.
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Q #4: Which of the following classes of biological molecules includes enzymes?
A. Lipids
B. Vitamins
C. Carbohydrates
D. Proteins
Answer Explanation
Enzymes are a type of protein that catalyze chemical reactions in the body. Proteins are one of the four main classes of biological molecules, along with lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids.
The other options are not classes of biological molecules that include enzymes. Lipids are a class of molecules that includes fats and oils, vitamins are organic compounds that are essential for normal growth and nutrition, and carbohydrates are a class of molecules that includes sugars and starches.
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Q #5: For which of the following reasons does a chloride ion have a negative charge?
A. It gained an electron
B. It lost an electron.
C. It lost a proton.
D. It gained a proton.
Answer Explanation
A chloride ion has a negative charge because it gained an electron. When an atom gains an electron, it becomes negatively charged because it now has more electrons than protons. In the case of a chloride ion, the neutral chlorine atom gains an electron to become a negatively charged chloride ion.
The other options are incorrect because they do not result in a negative charge. Losing an electron would result in a positive charge. Losing or gaining a proton would change the identity of the atom and is not related to the formation of a chloride ion.
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Q #6: A patient goes to the doctor with a cold and sore throat and asks for antibiotics. The doctor refuses to prescribe antibiotics to the patient because the illness is caused by which of the following pathogens?
A. Fungus
B. Virus
C. Protist
D. Bacteria
Answer Explanation
The doctor refuses to prescribe antibiotics to the patient because the illness is caused by a virus. The common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. Antibiotics are not effective against viral infections and are only used to treat bacterial infections.
The other options are not correct because they do not accurately describe the cause of the common cold and sore throat. Fungus, protist, and bacteria are not the pathogens responsible for causing the common cold.
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Q #7: Hikers who found a human body at high altitude in the Italian Alps thought the man had died recently, but tests indicated he was shot with an arrow more than 5,300 years ago. Which of the following would be the best reason for prolonged preservation of the body?
A. The ultraviolet rays at such a high altitude caused all his molecules to be preserved.
B. The food that the person ate contained toxins that killed the bacteria that would have otherwise destroyed the body.
C. The body was frozen in the cold temperature of the Alps shortly after he died and remained frozen until it was found.
D. The arrow wound caused blood to flow out of the body which led the enzymes that would break down tissue to be cleared from the body.
Answer Explanation
The best reason for the prolonged preservation of the body is that it was frozen in the cold temperature of the Alps shortly after death and remained frozen until it was found. Freezing can preserve a body by slowing down or stopping the decomposition process.
The other options are not as likely to have caused prolonged preservation.
Ultraviolet rays can damage molecules rather than preserve them. Toxins in food would not necessarily kill all bacteria that could cause decomposition. Blood loss from an arrow wound would not necessarily clear all enzymes that could break down tissue.
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Q #8: Which of the following is correct regarding the pH scale?
A. A substance with a pH of 3 is two times more alkaline than a substance with a pH of 4.
B. A substance with a pH of 3 is 10 times more alkaline than a substance with a pH of 4.
C. A substance with a pH of 3 is two times more acidic than a substance with a pH of 4.
D. A substance with a pH of 3 is 10 times more acidic than a substance with a pH of 4.
Answer Explanation
The correct answer is d. A substance with a pH of 3 is 10 times more acidic than a substance with a pH of 4. The pH scale is a logarithmic scale, which means that each change of one pH unit represents a tenfold change in the hydrogen-ion concentration. A substance with a pH of 3 has a hydrogen-ion concentration that is 10 times greater than that of a substance with a pH of 4.
A. A substance with a pH of 3 is not two times more alkaline than a substance with a pH of 4.
B. A substance with a pH of 3 is not 10 times more alkaline than a substance with a pH of 4.
C. A substance with a pH of 3 is not two times more acidic than a substance with a pH of 4.
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Q #9: Genetic information describing the characteristics of an organism is found in which of the following?
A. Nuclei
B. Membranes
C. Cilia
D. Ribosomes
Answer Explanation
The correct answer is a. Nuclei. Genetic information describing the characteristics of an organism is found in the nuclei of its cells. The nucleus contains the organism's DNA, which carries the genetic information that determines its traits.
b. Membranes are structures that surround and enclose cells and organelles, but they do not contain genetic information.
c. Cilia are hair-like structures that protrude from the surface of some cells and are involved in movement, but they do not contain genetic information.
d. Ribosomes are organelles that are involved in protein synthesis, but they do not contain genetic information.
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Q #10: A researcher wants to gather data on the average wing strength of all birds found in the American Northwest. The researcher only has one small net, so all large birds were excluded from the study. The researcher's results were different than expected, but he believes his data include enough birds to estimate the strength of all birds. For which of the following reasons should this data be rejected?
A. Data contradict the control group
B. Data were different than expected
C. Data are biased by the methodology
D. Data cannot be displayed graphically
Answer Explanation
The correct answer is c. Data are biased by the methodology. The researcher's data should be rejected because they are biased by the methodology used to gather them. By only using a small net, the researcher excluded all large birds from the study. This means that the data do not accurately represent the average wing strength of all birds found in the American Northwest.
A. The data contradicting the control group is not a reason to reject the data in this case.
B. The data being different than expected is not a reason to reject the data in this case.
D. The data not being able to be displayed graphically is not a reason to reject the data in this case.
